Tackle box holder

ABSTRACT

A tackle box holder including a platform having a tackle box mount carried thereby adjustable to receive and grip tackle boxes of various sizes, the platform being connected by a vertical pivot to the free end of a horizontal arm, a bracket connected by a vertical pivot to the opposite end of the arm and being specially adapted to mount said arm on the gunwale of a boat or the like, and to level the arm, and adjustable friction devices yieldably resisting pivoting of the platform relative to the arm, and of the arm relative to the bracket.

[451 Oct. 16, 1973 United States Patent [191 Riggs 936,254 10/1909Parsons........ 248/226 B TACKLE BOX HOLDER [76] Inventor: Royal W.Riggs, 2406 Albert Ln.,

s n- Mo. 5301 Primary ExaminerJ. Franklin Foss Attorney-John A. HamiltonFeb. 2, 1972 [21] Appl. No.2 222,803

[22] Filed:

[57] ABSTRACT A tackle box holder including a platform having a tacklebox mount carried thereby adjustable to receive and grip tackle boxes ofvarious sizes, the platform being connected by a vertical pivot to thefree end of a horizontal arm, a bracket connected by a vertical pivot tothe opposite end of the arm and being specially adapted to mount saidarm on the gunwale of a [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS boator the like, and to level the arm, and adjustable friction devicesyieldably resisting pivoting of the plat- 248/313 X form relative to thearm, and of the arm relative to the 2 8/ bracket. 248/280 248/226 BX 3Claims, 4 Drawing Figures Eckstein 9/1920 Sandberg......................

a me w S 398 506 999 111 II/ 3 8 rllallll TACKLE BOX HOLDER Thisinvention relates to new and useful improvements in tackle box holders,and has as its principal object the provision of a tackle box holdercapable of holding a tackle box conveniently and securely for use by afisherman, particularly a fisherman operating from a small boat,preventing overturning of the box and spillage of its contents.

Another object is the provision of a tackle box holder of the characterdescribed which permits movement of the tackle box relative to the boatfor greater convenience of use by more than one fisherman occupying theboat, or by one fisherman fishing from different positions in the boat,but which nevertheless may besecurely fastened and retained at anydesired position within its range.

A furtherobject is the provision of a tackle box holder of the characterdescribed which includes a bracket for mounting it on the gunwale orhull wall of a small boat, said bracket having novel provisions foraccommodating it to gunwales of different thicknesses, contours, andangles of inclination.

A still further object is the provision of a tackle box holder which isreadily adjustable to hold tackle boxes of different sizes and shapes.

Other objects are simplicity and economy of construction, and efficiencyand dependability of operation.

With these objects in view, as well as other objects which will appearin the course of the specification, reference will be had to theaccompanying drawing,

wherein:

:FIG. 1 is a top plan view, of a tackle box holder embodying the presentinvention, shown operatively mounted on aboat gunwale and holding atackle box, the gunwale and tackle box being shown in dottedlines,

FIG. 2 is a sectional viewtaken on :line Il-Il of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view takenon line lll-III of FIG.

1, and t FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line lV-IV ofFIG. 1.

Like reference numerals apply to similar parts throughout the severalviews, and the numeral 2 applies generally to the tackle box holderforming the subject matter of the present invention. Said holderincludes, generally, a platform 4 on which a fishing tackle box 6 is tobe mounted, a generally horizontal arm :8 at one end of which platform 4is mounted, and a bracket 10 connected to the opposite-end of said arm,and adapted to be attached to the gunwale 12 of a small boat.-Platform 4consists of a generally rectangular metal plate, disposed generallyhorizontally, with its central portion offset downwardly from its endportions by means of vertical portions 14 thereof. It is pivoted at itsmidpoint to the outer end of arm 8 by means of a bolt 16, said boltextending downwardly respectively through the platform 4, a frictionwasher 18, arm 8, a spring washer 20 and flat washer 22, and having awing nut 24 threaded on its lower end. Friction washer 18 yieldablyresists pivotal movementof the platform relative to the arm, and thedegree of resistance can be varied by turn ing nut 24 to vary thecompression of spring washer 20.

The spring washer also takes up any wear' of the friction washer. Asshown, arm 8 is of square cross-sectional contour, in order to providebearing areas forthe washers.

To each of the higher end portions of platform 4 there is welded orotherwise affixed a bar 26 which extends rearwardly of the platform, andthen is bent upwardly at right angles to form a fixed keeper post 28.Adjacent each of bars 26, a-bar 30 is mounted on the platform. Bar 30 isparallel to bar 26, and is longitudinally slidable in a forward andrearward direction in a pair of guides 32 affixed to the platform. Eachbar 30 7 extends forwardly of the platform, and is affixed at itsforward end to a vertical post 34 which extends both upwardly anddownwardly from the platform. A horizontal wing bolt 36 is carriedrotatably in a hole 38 formed therefor in the downwardlyextended portionof post 34, extends rearwardly therefrom, and is threaded through a nutmember 40 affixed to the lower surface of the platform. Thus a tacklebox 6 of any of a wide variety of front-to-rear dimensions may be restedon .the platform against posts 28, as shown, and secured in place byturning screws 36 to bring posts 34 tightly against the front side ofthe box. The platform and tackle box may then be pivoted on the verticalaxis provided by bolt 16, as indicated by arrows 42 in FIG. 1, thispivotal movement being frictionally resisted by friction washer 18. Saidfriction washer may be adjusted as desired even to the point ofsubstantially resisting any pivotal movement of the platform at all, byselective tightening of wing nut 24. The vertical offsets 14 of theplatform permit it to be turned to any degree relative to arm 8 withoutinterference between said arm and screws 36 or nuts 40 of the platform.

The rearward end of arm 8, this being the end thereof opposite to thaton which platform 4 is mounted is connected to bracket 10. Said bracketincludes a rectangular, normally vertical plate 44, the rearward end-ofarm 8 being secured, as by a vertical bolt 46, between the horizontal,parallel legs of a pair of angled clips 48 and 50 mounted on the forwardface of said plate. Upper clip 48 is rigidly welded or otherwise affixedto the plate, while lower clip 50 is connected to said plate by v a pairof rivets 52 extending through a vertically elongated slot 54 of theplate, whereby said lower clip may move toward and from the upper clip.Bolt 46 extends upwardly successively through a flat washer 56, a springwasher 58, clip 50, a friction washer 60, holes provided therefor in arm8, and clip 48, and has a wing nut 62 threaded on its upwardly extendedend. Thus arm 8may pivot horizontally on bolt 46, as indicated by arrows64 in FIG. 1, the pivotal movement thereof being resisted by frictionwasher 60, the frictional holding power of which may be adjusted byturning nut 62.

Bracket plate 44 may be mounted on boat gunwale 12 by three pairs ofscrews. A first pair of screws 66 are disposed respectively adjacent theupper corners of plate 44, extending slidably at right angles to saidplate through bosses 68 affixed to said plate, and having wing nuts 70threaded thereon forwardly of said plate. Rearwardly of the plate, eachscrew 66 is downwardly angled to form a hook 72 which is engageabledownwardly over the top edge of the gunwale, as best shown in FIG. 2.The downwardly angled portion may be provided with a sheath 74 of rubberor other soft material to avoid marring of the boat hull. A second setof abutment screws 76 are disposed respectively just below each ofscrews 66, parallel thereto, and are threaded in bosses 78 affixed tothe plate, extending forwardly and rearwardly of said plate. A third setof abutment screws 80, identical in all respect to screws 76 andthreaded in bosses 82 of the plate, are disposed respectively adjacentthe lower corners of the plate. Screws 76 and 80 may be thumb screws,having enlarged heads permitting manual operation thereof. Bracket plate44 is preferably mounted by first adjusting screws 66 and 80 relatively,with screws 76 retracted well out of engagement with gunwale 12, untilsaid plate is disposed in a vertical plane. This permits said plate tobe positioned accurately despite differences of gunwale inclination orcontour which may occur from boat to boat, although the bracket is notyet firmly anchored to the boat. The bracket is then securely clamped inplace by tightening screws 76.

Operation of the tackle box holder is believed to be self-evident. Asshown and described, it will securely hold and position a tackle box ofany common size and shape against overturning and spillage of itscontents, which is a common source of trouble and irritation tofishermen. lt nevertheless permits the tackle box to be moved freelyabout a substantial area of the boat, to better serve two or morepersons fishing from the same boat, or a single fisherman who may desireto move about the boat to fish from different positions. When desired,the friction devices permit the box to be moved only by application ofsubstantial force thereto, so that it will not move accidentally inresponse to rocking of the boat in the water. Bracket permits the holderto be operatively mounted on the gunwale of the hull of nearly any smallboat, without requiring modification or adaptation of the hull in anyway.

While I have shown and described a specific embodiment of my invention,it will be readily apparent that many minor changes of structure andoperation could be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. A tackle box holder comprising:

a. a bracket comprising a normally generally vertical plate.

b. means carried by said bracket and operable to mount said bracket onthe gunwale ofa small boat, said bracket mounting means comprising oneor more hook members carried by said plate adjacent the upper edgethereof, said hook members opening downwardly to extend over the topedge of, and to engage the outer surface of, a boat gunwale, withessentially point contact, a series of abutment members carried by saidplate and projecting therefrom in the same direction as said hookmembers to engage the inner surface of said boat gunwale, said abutmentmembers being so laterally spaced apart that their projecting endsdefine a planar area, said hook members and abutment members beingadjustably mounted in said plate for movement transversely to the planethereof to vary the degree of projection of these members from saidplate, whereby the plane defined by the projecting ends of said abutmentmembers may be angularly tilted in any direction relative to the planeof said plate, and said plate may thereby be adjusted to a verticalposition despite variations in the contour and inclination of saidgunwale,

c. an arm pivoted at one end to said bracket plate on a generallyvertical axis, and extending therefrom oppositely to said hook andabutment members whereby to extend inwardly of said boat,

d. a tackle box platform pivoted to the free end of said arm on agenerally vertical axis, and

e. means carried by said platform and operable to secure a tackle boxthereon.

2. A tackle box holder as recited in claim 1 wherein each of said hookmembers includes a stem normal to said plate and extending slidablythrough a hole formed therefor in said plate, said stem being threadedand having a nut threaded thereon at the side of said plate form whichsaid arm extends, and wherein each of said abutment members compises ascrew disposed normally to the plane of said plate and threaded therein.

3. A tackle box holder as recited in claim 1 wherein one of saidabutment members is disposed closely adjacent each of said hook membersand is adjustable relative to said plate normally to the plane thereof,whereby said gunwale may be clampingly engaged between said hook memberand said abutment member.

1. A tackle box holder comprising: a. a bracket comprising a normallygenerally vertical plate, b. means carried by said bracket and operableto mount said bracket on the gunwale of a small boat, said bracketmounting means comprising one or more hook members carried by said plateadjacent the upper edge thereof, said hook members opening downwardly toextend over the top edge of, and to engage the outer surface of, a boatgunwale, with essentially point contact, a series of abutment memberscarried by said plate and projecting therefrom in the same direction assaid hook members to engage the inner surface of said boat gunwale, saidabutment members being so laterally spaced apart that their projectingends define a planar area, said hook members and abutment members beingadjustably mounted in said plate for movement transversely to the planethereof to vary the degree of projection of these members from saidplate, whereby the plane defined by the projecting ends of said abutmentmembers may be angularly tilted in any direction relative to the planeof said plate, and said plate may thereby be adjusted to a verticalposition despite variations in the contour and inclination of saidgunwale, c. an arm pivoted at one end to said bracket plate on agenerally vertical axis, and extending therefrom oppositely to said hookand abutment members whereby to extend inwardly of said boat, d. atackle box platform pivoted to the free end of said arm on a generallyvertical axis, and e. means carried by said platform and operable tosecure a tackle box thereon.
 2. A tackle box holder as recited in claim1 wherein each of said hook members includes a stem normal to said plateand extending slidably through a hole formed therefor in said plate,said stem being threaded and having a nut threaded thereon at the sideof said plate from which said arm extends, and wherein each of saidabutment members compises a screw disposed normally to the plane of saidplate and threaded therein.
 3. A tackle box holder as recited in claim 1wherein one of said abutment members is disposed closely adjacent eachof said hook members and is adjustable relative to said plate normallyto the plane thereoF, whereby said gunwale may be clampingly engagedbetween said hook member and said abutment member.